The Android 4.0.4 OTA update started rolling out to the GSM Galaxy Nexus yesterday (where's the love, Verizon?), but many users are still without the update. Fortunately, the official update is now available for download directly from Google. Getting it installed, on the other hand, is a bit of a task. We've done most of the legwork for you here, so follow the below instructions and you'll be running 4.0.4 in no time.

Let's get started.

This update is for 4.0.2 to 4.0.4 only. If you're running any other version, don't flash this.

Verify which GNex you have

This update is for yakju only, so you need to verify your device before you even bother pulling the download. How do you do that, you ask? Luckily, there's an app for that. Just grab it from the Play Store, verify that you're device is yakju (not a variant of yakju, either), and move on to the next step.

Download

Installation Instructions

Now for the hard fun part! Since the GNex stores OTAs in cache before flashing, you can just drop the file on your SD card and reboot. Thus, there are a few different ways to get the update on your device, but you'll either need a custom recovery, or, at the very least, be rooted.

Custom Recovery Method

We'll start with the custom recovery method first, since it's the easiest. Since the phone's bootloader must be unlocked before a custom recovery can be installed, this is pretty cut-and-dry and should work pretty similar to installing any other ROM.

These directions are for ClockworkMod Recovery. The process should be similar for other recoveries, but it may not be exact.

Any number of things can go wrong during this process, so we strongly recommend performing a backup before flashing this file.

Open the archive and delete the 'recovery' folder

Drop the file onto your SD Card

Reboot into recovery

Choose 'Install zip from SD Card'

Select 'Choose zip from sdcard'

Select the file you downloaded above

Wait for the device to do its thing

???

Profit

Reboot, and you should be running 4.0.4. Congrats!

Root Method

This process is a little bit more cumbersome than the previous, but works just the same.

This is assuming that you are rooted and are using the stock recovery. If you're using a custom recovery, then use the above method.

Again, make a backup first. At this point, that should be a given.

There are actually a few different options here. The long-and-short of it is this: if you have an unlocked bootloader, you should install CWM and use the method outlined above. However, if your device's bootloader is still locked, there are three methods you could use (taken from this thread on XDA):

Method 3a - Stock recovery installed, Locked bootloader, with root;1) Download the correct update for your build and place it in /sdcard;2) Open a command prompt in the same directory as your ADB binary;3) Type adb devices to make sure that your device is recognized;4) Type adb shell5) Type su6) Type cp /sdcard/name-of-zip-here.zip /cache/name-of-zip-here.zip7) Type exit8) Type exit9) Reboot into recovery;10) Hold the volume up key and press the power button;11) Select apply update or whatever the menu item is (I don't have a stock recovery installed, but it should be easy to identify);12) Wait until it completes. Reboot. Done.

Method 3b - Stock recovery installed, Locked bootloader, with root;1) Download the correct update for your build and place it in /sdcard;2) Download CWM from here and place it in /sdcasrd;3) Rename the CWM image to cwm.img;4) Open a command prompt in the same directory as your ADB binary;5) Type adb devices to make sure that your device is recognized;6) Type adb shell8) Type su9) Type dd if=/data/media/cwm.img of=/dev/block/platform/omap/omap_hsmmc.0/by-name/recovery10) Type exit11) Type exit12) Reboot into recovery;13) Select "install zip from sdcard";14) Select "choose zip from sdcard";15) Select the update the you just copied to your device;16) Wait until it completes. Reboot. Done.

Comments

Sorry, just read this part: "Open the archive and delete the 'recovery' folder"

westy

so with this method will i be able to receive stock OTA's?

Cameron Summerson

Yep. This is the OTA, you're just flashing it manually.

westy

even if i change to ClockworkMod Recovery?

Alex

IF YOU ARE UNLOCKED BOOTLOADER, ROOTED AND STOCK RECOVERY DO THIS LIKE I DID!

1: Download update
2: Rename to update.zip
3: Move to /cache with root explorer (or Super manager for free [enable root in menu])
4: Turn off nexus
5: Hold vol down+up + power till you get to options
6: Click volume up till you see recovery, press power
7: When on blank screen, click vol up + power or vol down + power idk i forgot, main thing is options should appear
8: Navigate with vol keys to flash update.zip, pick update.zip and flash it
9: Voila

westy

worked for me thank you sir

sodaksh

But if u will place it in the root folder, how will u flash it through "install update.zip" option from recovery, as it only reads the sd card

Did you install any custom kernel? The phone must be fully stock to not give you such an error message.

Carlos

it did work for me.

Raymin

I am yakjuxw ...is that still ok?

Cameron Summerson

No. This is specifically for yakju.

Sodaksh

didnt work for me, showing the error 7 in recovery mode when installing from cwm.

Azwan

I got error 7 in recovery mode when installing from cwm. Apparently the verification Maps.apk (ownhere) verification that causes the failure. I'm not in the country available for Navigation. I didn't made any backup to the stock Maps.apk. Do you have a copy of it?

I'm curious about what deleting the recovery folder actually does. Can you explain?

John

Does not work for me.

Im rooted and unlocked with a stock 4.02 image.

Keep getting error 7.

Any ideas?

John

And my device is yakju

John

This method did not work at all for me... but I did get it working the slightly difficult way: